Enrollment interest on the rise

Boarding school enrollment has been a struggle for many admissions teams I have spoken with over that past several years.  "It is the economy, stupid!" is the most often used reason, but when you are in the business of trying to attract families to your school, excuses are the least effective way to move forward.

I have seen a definite pike in interest for enrollment when comparing inquiry numbers of the past 9 months with those in similar time periods over the past 3 admission cycles.  We have our theories at the school as to why this increase, but is is not possible to point at any one thing and say "that is the reason..."  In truth, the reason does not matter.  What is important is to seize the opportunity at hand and help families decide if Fork Union is the right place for their son and do everything we can to facilitate the enrollment for every young man who is "mission appropriate."

The strategy we have been using at Fork Union Military Academy is to assist families as much as possible through our tuition assistance program. I addition we have tried to create more flexible payment plans for those who wish to utilize them.

Interested in admission to a military boarding school?  Curious about what a school like Fork Union Military Academy has to offer?

We can be found on the web at www.forkunion.com.  I can be reached via email at maceks@fuma.org

What is "rolling enrollment?"

Some military schools allow families to enroll at different times during the school year. This concept is commonly referred to "rolling admissions" or "rolling enrollment."

There are many reason a family may look to military school once a school year has already started. Most people assume it is because there are behavioral problems motivating the idea, but this is not necessarily the case. In some situations it is the realization that the school the student is currently attending is not working well. In others it may be that the family has moved to a new area and are simply investigating options.

Regardless of the reasons, the admission process in generally the same as at any other time of the year. At Fork Union Military Academy, we ask families to provide the same documentation (transcripts, references and such) as we would at any other time of year. Since the relative number of rolling admission is small, the turn around can generally be much quicker, because you are not competing with the large number of people that tend to look at more traditional times.

The schools the do offer a rolling admissions scenario will either enroll students as soon as they are able to enter, or they may employ specific dates of entry so small groups of students ca start at the same time. In general this has more to do with the structure of breaks and semesters. IF you are in need of relatively quick placement, simply ask the school how soon you could enroll if your child were accepted. It is also good to let the school know WHY you are looking so they understand that the difference between urgency and desperation!

The best way to find out if a school you are interested in has a rolling policy is to call and ask. Some schools will not post "applications still being accepted" for fear that it may actually dissuade people from inquiring. Do not take the lack of "advertising" openings as a sign that there are, in fact, no openings.

It is never really too late to enroll...

While I have been away from my blog cycle for some time due to heavy admissions activity, I thought it might be a good idea to put up a fresh post. It seems appropriate to discuss the "last minute push" in military school admissions.

I am not sure what the reason is, but as the start of the regular school year inches closer, the relative amount of admission activity increases exponentially. One might think that this last-minute burst is largely folks who are in desperation mode, because they need somewhere to place their son and the other alternatives have run out.

Truth be told, more often than not, at least in Fork Union's case, many of these late applicants are actually well qualified and come from pretty normal circumstances. The reality is that the start of the school year has just crept up on them, and they had been pondering this option all along.

So, is it too late to look at enrollment? The answer may vary by school, but in most cases you will probably find that it is in fact NEVER too late to enroll in a military school. In Fork Union's case, the only real problem spot can be if a student is looking to enroll for just one year then graduate. If the student;s GAP s sufficiently high for college placement, then there may be no issue. If, however, there is a hope for a big GPA increase, one year of school may not be enough. Those details should be discussed up front with the admission office who should be well-versed enough to give you at least a rough sketch of what the best-case scenario is.

One other consideration is that financial aid pools may have dried up over the summer, especially given the current economic conditions. This too is a discussion I would advise having before you get too involved in the process. In Fork Union Military Academy's case, financial aid is still available for the fall term.

If you are interested in fall enrollment, my advise is to not let another day go by without at least contacting the school and seeing what the availability is.

FUMA Sports Hall of Fame

I was privileged last weekend to attend our school's Sport's Hall of Fame banquet. Vinny Testaverde, Roman Oben, Shamond Williams and FUMA legend Red Pulliam were inducted. (Click links to see articles)

The event was spectacular, and it made me pause to think about how a school, located in the middle of nowhere in the state of Virginia, has been party to such an outstanding athletic heritage. What am I talking about? Check out the list of Fork Union Military Academy's NFL alumni.

I am not one who tends to get overly excited about the athletic component of our school because I don't like it to overshadow our excellent academic program, nor minimize the achievements of the non-college athletes who leave here and are equally successful in other areas of life. But for now, I think I'll go with the proverbial flow...

Congratulations to all of this year's inductees.

Testaverde Article #2

Forget everything you think you know about military school

When I tell someone I work At Fork Union Military Academy one of the first questions they ask is, "So, you deal with a lot of kids with behavior problems, right?" Probably one of the most frustrating thing about working at a military school is the misconception that they are for "troubled teens." Movies, TV and threats from our own parents have all served to reinforce this perception of boarding school as a dumping ground for "bad kids."

I think the main reason people look at our school is that they feel the environment their son is currently being educated in is not working for him. There are a variety of areas of concerns: academic, social/peer groups, athletic, and the list goes on. Let's be realistic. No one will pay for something if they can get the same quality item for free. If you do the math, it stands to reason that anyone looking at a boarding school option probably has a complex reason. Family counseling and/or individual behavioral therapy can adjust troublesome behavior. Relatively inexpensive and quite effective.

In the case of military boarding school, while there may be some basic behavior concerns, they tend to fall into what I would consider the normal teenager behavioral category. He won't clean his room. He does not do his homework consistently. He skips class or is late. He likes to argue. I don't like his choice of friends. All he wants to do is play video games.

The list goes on, but none of the reasons I hear make me think the kids are on the road to a life of crime. Instead, I believe the motivation is that parents understand that getting into the right college with the right tools is a tough proposition, and they want to do everything in their power to make sure their kids are pointed in the right direction and have every opportunity to become successful.

Summer School on the Horizon

Thinking about military school for your child?  If the school of your choice has a summer session, this may be an opportune time to "test the waters."  Programs vary widely from camp-type sessions to more traditional summer school settings.  

When invetigating options, I would reccomend aksing what the session is designed for.  If your child needs to pick up some classes and learn a little more self discipline, I would look at a primarily academic setting.  If they are all A's, make sure they can take a new class and also verify that the credit will transfer to the current school, should you decide to remain enrolled there.

One thing to keep in mind is that in many cases the students who are enrolling in a summer program at a private school inlcude those who are trying to get ahead.  This can provide a very positive influence on the overall program and, compared to a traditional program designed primarily for those who have need of repeating classes, might be a more attractive option.  Imagine summer shcool with students who chose to attend! 

You migth be surpiresed how much your child can benefit from a month away from home.

Here is a link to the summer information for Fork Union Military Academy.

Graduation Day at FUMA!

This has been a busy few weeks, but graduation has arrived at Fork Union Military Academy.  I am always awed at how much growth we see in these students, some of whom we have had the opportunity to work with for 6 or 7 years.

By the way, this year the 2008-2009 graduating seniors and post graduates have earned in excess of 7.5 million dollars in scholarships!

If you are wondering what attending a military school can mean for your son, please follow this link:

College Acceptances 2009

Congratulations to the Fork Union Military Academy Class of 2009!